At this stage you’ve taken the core courses and it’s time to start thinking about which electives you want to try to take. This is where it pays to work closely with your advisor so you can weigh out factors like:

  • what courses are prerequisites for what you want to do after you graduate? Your advisor can help you out a lot here or at least know where to point you for help.
  • what courses are offered in these last two years and when? Unlike our core courses, electives are offered less frequently so you need to keep an eye on timing. Again, your Biology faculty advisor is your best resource to help you but we also have a dynamic course rotation sheet that you can check in on. Your advisor will probably also encourage you to make a semester-by-semester plan using this information.
  • what kind of things do you want to take to round out your experience at Elon? Take that cool tree identification (Dendrology) course that you might not have the chance to take once you start professional school or a job!

There are a few things you need to block in that are required for anyone wanting to graduate with a Biology degree.

  • Bio4970 Senior Seminar – is only offered in the Fall. The default is to take it the Fall of your Senior year, however, if you will be abroad that semester then you’ll need to take it the Fall of your Junior year.
  • Biology 0070 Senior Comprehensive Exam – students must demonstrate sufficient broad background in core Biology by scoring well on a standardized test. This test is also only offered in the Fall – usually in November, and is announced by the department chair sometime in September. This carries 0 credits.
  • Experiential Learning Requirement – have you done one yet? if not don’t lose track of this! See more info on the General Advising for rising 2nd year students page

Other things to put on your radar

  • consider becoming a member of the Beta Beta Beta Biology Honors Society at Elon.
  • consider taking a leadership in one of the student clubs – leaders get to shape what events go on and gain great experience in the process.
  • consider a study abroad! Our Biology majors go all over the world. There are some programs in particular that our majors love because there are courses they can count towards their major – talk with your advisor to get some ideas about this. Check in on our page for some known options that Biology majors often like to consider that allow you to get a few major’s courses.
  • consider research – research isn’t for everyone but if you’ve gotten curious about it initiate a discussion with your advisor, and learn about departmental research on our research website. If you’re not already in a research-focused program like Elon College Fellows there are still many ways to get involved in research at Elon including Bio4999, and SURE.